What happened
During the landing phase, the tower controller observed the Cessna 414 touch down on runway 2 abeam the north VASI, positioned to the left of the centerline. The left main landing gear departed the runway surface to the left on two separate occasions before reaching the intersection with runway 32. As the aircraft veered further left, the nose gear collapsed, causing the airplane to perform a 180-degree turn.
There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
A passenger noted that ice was visible on the windscreen during the approach and stated that visibility through the windscreen was obscured by the ice. Prior to the flight, the pilot had received a preflight weather briefing that included PIREPs for icing along the route and NOTAMs regarding thin ice present on the runway at Springfield.
Post-accident photographs taken by fire and rescue personnel showed the windscreen obscured by rime ice. The aircraft was equipped with an alcohol windscreen deicing system but lacked electric windscreen heat. According to the pilot's operating handbook for this aircraft, an electric anti-icing pilot's windshield is required for flight into icing conditions.